The present invention relates to footwear, and more particularly, to lacing systems for use with footwear to secure the same to a wearer's foot.
There is a variety of footwear used for different purposes. Some footwear includes unique lacing systems that provide certain aesthetics and/or functional attributes. One type of footwear lacing system features a lace that wraps from the front of the footwear, travels around a heel of the footwear, and extends again toward the front of the footwear. This conventional lace, however, is inserted between the upper and the lining of the footwear. Much of the lace is itself concealed within and hidden by an outer layer of the upper. Generally, the concealed lace extends below the surface of material designed to form an ankle collar around an ankle opening of the shoe.
While the above conventional lacing system can satisfactorily ensure that the associated footwear remains on the foot of a user, it presents some issues. Specifically, because the lace extends below the upper, and partially through an ankle collar interior, as it wraps around the rear of the heel, it is very difficult to replace that lace or customize that lace. For example, special tools must be used to pry and/or pull the lace under the upper material to an accessible position and/or to otherwise remove the lace. This can cause frustration to anyone desiring to replace a broken lace and/or customize their footwear with a different aesthetic lace.
Accordingly, their remains room for improvement in connection with functional lacing systems for footwear.